<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>kalmia kids : a jichaeng fic by secret_atermoiements</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24552229">kalmia kids : a jichaeng fic</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/secret_atermoiements/pseuds/secret_atermoiements'>secret_atermoiements</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>TWICE (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Teenagers, Awkwardness, F/F, Female-Centric, Flowers, Fluff, Gardens &amp; Gardening, Hair Braiding, High School, How Do I Tag, Light Angst, School, Teenagers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 01:34:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,425</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24552229</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/secret_atermoiements/pseuds/secret_atermoiements</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>based off kalmia kid by chloe moriondo !</p><p>She's never experienced attraction before, except one time in kindergarten where the colourful main character of her favourite show made her feel all fluttery and nervous. But that was very different to this. That was when she was a kid, and a fictional character is very different to a real person.<br/>But it feels the same, in some weird way. Like Jihyo is a flower, just like the ones at the side of the school, and Chae is watching her grow. Come to think of it, maybe the reason Chae is so eager to show her the garden is because Jihyo is just like those flowers. Small, still learning about the world, but with someone to help her understand.<br/>When she thinks about it that way, it makes a little more sense. </p><p>OR</p><p>Chaeyoung is loud, laughs too much, and has an obsession with flowers. Jihyo couldn't give a shit about any of that - but hey, anything if it means she can get a friend.</p><p>OR </p><p>Being picked up by an eccentric year nine with a flower obsession wasn't part of Jihyo's plans for tenth grade.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Park Jisoo | Jihyo/Son Chaeyoung</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>kalmia kids : a jichaeng fic</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>this took me an unacceptable amount of time but also i finished it all in one day so maybe not idek at this point</p><p>enjoy the fic lol it was fun</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>day thirty-eight<br/>
I'm pretty lonely today. Most of my entries start like this, but it's just true. I'm always lonely. The sun is really bright today, so at least that makes for some company. I don't</p><p>Jihyo pauses, tapping her pen on the lined paper and trying to think of what to write. She squints at the untidy handwriting, wondering why she chose to write her next journal entry in the blazing sunlight rather than somewhere dark and quiet. Even the tree she's sitting under doesn't provide much shade. Sure, the schoolyard isn't the best place to be sitting and writing, especially when she'd be better off playing a sport like all the teachers and her parents want her to. Oh well. She can't ask anyone to teach her. </p><p>It feels as if nothing even wants to see Jihyo or be near her today. Not that she ever makes an effort. Maybe she's just out of luck. </p><p>Returning rather morosely to the pages of her journal, still unsure of what to write, Jihyo begins to idly doodle on the side of the notebook. It's been forty or so days since she started this journal - accidentally skipping a few days here and there, not that it matters. You could pick up at any point in the book and know one thing for certain - Jihyo is lonely. She doesn't have many friends or people to rely on, and she never has. Despite being sixteen years old and having plenty of time to learn social skills, she just never put them to good use. And now she doesn't really know how to do that anymore. </p><p>After a couple more minutes of doodling on the mostly blank page, Jihyo realises she isn't gonna end up writing anything else. Snapping the journal shut, she stands up and brushes dirt off her shorts. The school day is almost over anyways. She might as well pack up.  </p><p>Looking around for her backpack so she can leave campus, Jihyo quickly notices something wrong - it isn't anywhere near her. And now that she thinks about it, she has no idea where she last saw it. </p><p>Well, shit. What now? </p><p>"Ugh," she mumbles, really not wanting to search the entire school for her bag. Why didn't she just put it in a locker? What's even so difficult about storing it somewhere safe? With a groan, she brushes her hair out of her face impatiently and accepts her fate. Better to find it now than procrastinate and have it stolen by one of the stupid juniors. </p><p>"Excuse me?" </p><p>Just then, a voice interrupts her thoughts. Blinking, Jihyo looks around to see a girl in bright yellow staring at her. </p><p>"Huh-?" </p><p>"Is this yours?" She holds up a red backpack embroidered with tiny blue flowers. </p><p>"Yes! Yes, that's mine! Thank you!" She reaches forward to take it, but the girl has already dropped it at her feet. </p><p>"No problem," she smiles, looking so naturally cheerful and at ease that Jihyo has to be surprised. How is she this kind so easily? It can't be that simple, is it? </p><p>"What's your name?" the girl asks her, watching as she picks up the backpack and swings it over her shoulder with relief.</p><p>"Oh… I'm Jihyo. And you are?"</p><p>"Chaeyoung, but… call me Chae." </p><p>"Oh, okay-" </p><p>"It's nice to meet you!" </p><p>"Yeah, uh, you too." </p><p>They stand there for a second, looking each other up and down, neither making eye contact. </p><p>"Hey, Jihyo… say, do you want to walk home with me?" </p><p>"Wait, really? You're serious?" Taken aback, Jihyo takes an uncertain step backwards - or is it forwards? She isn't paying much attention to her feet. </p><p>"Yeah, course I am. Come on, let's go - unless you don't-"</p><p>"No, of course I do!" Jihyo responds hastily. "Are we going to my house or.." </p><p>"Sure, I don't mind." Chae nods at her, gesturing for her to start moving. </p><p>"I'll lead the way, then," she says, still slightly blown away."</p><p>"Right behind ya!" </p><p>The sun feels a lot warmer with someone to walk with. Chaeyoung talks animatedly while Jihyo simply listens in awe, gesturing at this and that and making the strangest exclamations. Now that Jihyo's gotten a better look at her, she notices their differences in style. She has red hair that falls slightly short of her shoulders, and she's wearing a bright yellow t-shirt with the words "City That Never Sleeps" printed on it. Her wrists are adorned with a mixture of hairties (though Jihyo can't think why she'd need them) and sparkly bracelets. The bright colours contrast starkly with Jihyo's dark blouse and shorts, and she can't help wondering if she's been dressing wrong her whole life. </p><p>"Jihyo? Were you listening?"</p><p>"Huh-?" </p><p>"I asked what you do for fun?"</p><p>"Oh.. I don't, really know." </p><p>"You don't know?" Chae looks visibly shocked. "What do you mean?" </p><p>"I don't have hobbies. I study, I guess. Always wanted to do stuff, but… I'm not the best at that."  </p><p>"Well, we're going to fix that then, aren't we?"</p><p>"How? What?" Jihyo's confusion is mounting.</p><p>"You're kinda clueless, aren't you? I'll help you find things you like!" </p><p>"Oh - would you really?" </p><p>"Hell yeah." Chae grins. "Look, give me your number, okay? I'll be in touch." </p><p>"Alright," Jihyo replies. She's unsure of this whole hobbies thing, but.. she really likes Chae, and she's willing to give it a try if it means Chae will like her too. She pulls out her phone and reads out her number, having forgotten it from using it so infrequently. Chaeyoung happily types it into her contacts, promising Jihyo that she'll contact her soon. </p><p>They reach Jihyo's house and eventually part ways. Jihyo opens the door reluctantly, and stumbles into her dark house. It's rather gloomy in here - an unpleasant, drafty hallway leading to the rest of the house, which is exactly the same. Compared to Chaeyoung's bright attire and sunny disposition, the house feels dull and cold. </p><p>Or maybe it's just because of the weather. </p><p>-</p><p>unknown: hello, this is Jihyo right??<br/>
you: yeah, that's me<br/>
unknown: yay!! meet me at the tree we met at tomorrow okay? got some stuff to tell you.<br/>
me: alright </p><p>-</p><p>The weather is considerably less sunny today - it's warm enough to bear, but it's not as bright as yesterday. Fortunately, Chaeyoung makes up for this, waving enthusiastically at Jihyo the moment she arrives in the schoolyard. </p><p>"Come on!" she says impatiently, grabbing her by the arm the moment she's within reach. "I've been here for twenty minutes waiting! Let's get to work."</p><p>"Twenty minutes? How do you get up so early?" </p><p>"Practice," she shrugs. "Anyways! I wanna take you to one of my favourite places. It's not too far from here, and we wouldn't be going off campus. There's a little garden around the side of the building.." </p><p>"Really?" Jihyo is a little surprised that she's never seen the garden. She's spent a lot of time just wandering the school out of boredom, so it's news to her that she hasn't seen it. </p><p>"Yeah! It's pretty small, but I'm working to make it beautiful. Come on, let's go!" </p><p>And she dashes off at top speed, Jihyo hurrying along behind her. </p><p>They eventually reach the side of the building, but Jihyo can't see a garden anywhere. "Are you sure this is the right place?" she says uncertainly, staring around at the ground. </p><p>"Of course! Look, see down here?" She points down at a small patch of tilled soil on the ground, practically blending in with the rest of the earth. A few small, straggling flowers stick out of the soil, petals quivering with the slight wind. </p><p>"This is your… garden?" Jihyo looks distastefully at it. "Not much, is it?"</p><p>"It's the thought that counts," Chae replies, giving her a critical look as if to say she just doesn't understand. "But I promise they'll get bigger in time, okay? And maybe with your help.." </p><p>"Oh." She suddenly understands. "Chae, I don't know-" </p><p>"You said you wanted hobbies, isn't this a hobby? Gardening?"<br/>
"Yeah, I know I did but-"</p><p>"Then you're going to help me!" Despite her small figure, Chaeyoung suddenly looks incredibly intimidating, her hands on her hips and a glare on her face. "These flowers are important to me and you'd better treat them with nothing but respect!" </p><p>Jihyo's mouth falls open. She's surprised that Chae has so much defiance over something like a flower. </p><p>But, it doesn't look like she has a choice. </p><p>"Okay, okay. I'll help."</p><p>"Yay!" </p><p>And so they get to work. With still a bit of time before classes start, they're able to grab all the equipment they need and tend the flowers and soil. Chae makes Jihyo get a watering can, shovel, gloves and various other supplies while she sits on the hard ground and chats to the flowers. Jihyo has no idea why, since they don't seem to be very good conversational partners. To each their own, she supposes. </p><p>When they eventually have everything they need, they set off taking care of the flowers. Chaeyoung is quite overprotective of them, and she watches Jihyo carefully as she takes the watering can and holds it over each. </p><p>"Wait, no. Look, here, hold it like this." Chae grabs Jihyo's arms and adjusts them slightly, hands light and much steadier than Jihyo's. She looks up at her, seemingly now satisfied, and Jihyo blinks, surprised at the sudden eye contact. </p><p>Chaeyoung smiles - the glittery kind of smile that seems so false if you look at it too long, the kind of smile that reminds you of dental floss and cherry medicine. It's a smile Jihyo hates dearly… but she's been staring at Chae for awhile and somehow, it doesn't look so bad on her.  </p><p>Jihyo suddenly realises she's been spaced out on Chae's face for probably too long. She stumbles back a few steps, still tightly gripping the watering can with both hands.<br/>
"Something wrong-?" Chae gazes up at her, worry clouding her eyes. </p><p>"Ah - no, I'm fine. Just.." </p><p>She doesn't finish her sentence, instead turning her attention to the flowers and positioning the watering can a little above them.<br/>
"Is this good?" </p><p>"Yeah, great! You can start watering now. But be careful!" </p><p>Jihyo nods and tips the watering can, allowing the soil to soak up a small amount of water. But her vision is unfocused, flowers blurry and unclear before her eyes. Needless to say, her mind is elsewhere. Perhaps sitting in the dentist's office, or scrubbing glitter off hardwood floors. </p><p>-</p><p>Classes pass by faster than expected - and before long Jihyo finds herself walking home with Chae again. It's an unusual sort of day, and as Chae rambles on yet again about gardening and flowers and how much she loves them, something occurs to Jihyo. </p><p>She's never experienced attraction before, except one time in kindergarten where the colourful main character of her favourite show made her feel all fluttery and nervous. But that was very different to this. That was when she was a kid, and a fictional character is very different to a real person. </p><p>But it feels the same, in some weird way. Like Jihyo is a flower, just like the ones at the side of the school, and Chae is watching her grow. Come to think of it, maybe the reason Chae is so eager to show her the garden is because Jihyo is just like those flowers. Small, still learning about the world, but with someone to help her understand. </p><p>When she thinks about it that way, it makes a little more sense. </p><p>-</p><p>"Oh good, you're finally here!" </p><p>It's the beginning of yet another morning with Chaeyoung - and Jihyo finds that she's been anticipating it. They've been hanging out for about two weeks, and somehow Jihyo still has that weird feeling whenever Chae smiles at her. It shouldn't be like this, but she can't help it. Maybe this is the consequence of having friends? </p><p>But fortunately, there's a lot of upsides too. For one, Chae's taken it upon herself to braid Jihyo's hair this morning. She's never been able to do it herself, but maybe she'll find out that she actually likes wearing her hair this way. In any case, they're already in the bathroom and Chae has a bunch of ribbons in her hand, so there isn't any turning back. </p><p>"Okay, let's get started!" Chae holds up a handful of ribbons in her fist, triumphant that she got Jihyo to comply with her plan. She pulls out a hairbrush and grabs a section of Jihyo's hair, beginning to work away freely. "I won't pull, okay?"</p><p>"Alright," Jihyo grins. "I believe you." </p><p>"Good! I wouldn't lie to you.." Chaeyoung frowns, suddenly upset that the thought has even entered her mind. "You know that, right?"</p><p>"Of course I do," Jihyo laughs. "I don't think you'd lie - you're not capable of it. Too nice for that." </p><p>Chaeyoung lights up. "Oh, yay! That's good… Is it true?"</p><p>"Yeah, duh. I wouldn't lie to you either." </p><p>Chaeyoung giggles, the same cherry medicine smile popping up on her face that Jihyo is so used to by now. It doesn't alleviate the nervous feeling in her stomach, but it brings a bit of joy seeing that she was the one to make Chae laugh. </p><p>"And we're done!" Chae ties the last ribbon and steps back to admire her work. "Looks pretty good, I think."</p><p>"Yeah, it actually does." Jihyo nods, impressed. "Nice, Chae. You'll have to teach me."</p><p>"I will! But not now… we have class."</p><p>"Oh - you're right." Jihyo grabs her backpack and dashes for the bathroom door, holding it open for Chae for a second or two. As she begins to run for the stairs, the braids bounce in her face - getting in the way, but in a comfortable kind of way that she doesn't mind all that much. </p><p>Today, she's discovered that braids don't look so bad on her. That's another thing Chae has taught her - so, what awaits next?</p><p>-</p><p>Jihyo steps into her bedroom, opening a window to let a few shafts of light inside. She hasn't updated her notebook in days - her only thoughts are on Chae, the garden, the braids. Her glittery smile that Jihyo loves and hates so much. </p><p>It's weird how one smile did so much for Jihyo - sent her into some kind of emotional turmoil when all smiles are supposed to do is make you happy. </p><p>There's no way Chae feels the same anyways, which worsens her dilemma, but Jihyo has come to one conclusion over the last few weeks. </p><p>She really likes Chae. And that's the end of the road for her. </p><p>-</p><p>"Ha, you told me they weren't gonna be successful!" </p><p>"Okay, okay, they were! I admit it. I was wrong." </p><p>"Yay!" Chae does a little victory dance around her flower garden, which has grown dynamically in the last few weeks. Jihyo is shocked at the amount of growth - it doesn't feel right for them to suddenly be this big and bright when they were so small before. But here they are. </p><p>"They actually look really good, Chae," she smiles, examining them more closely. "Maybe I'll even start my own garden now."</p><p>-</p><p>day thirty-nine<br/>
Haven't updated this in awhile. I've just been busy. That's a good thing though, right?  </p><p>-</p><p>Jihyo finds her way to the garden alone today, figuring Chae must already be there. The weather is once again sunny, shining down brightly on the lawns and drying up any remaining puddles in the schoolyard. Jihyo reaches the garden fairly quickly to find Chae leaning over the soil- pulling the flowers out of the ground…? </p><p>"Chae? What are you-"</p><p>"Oh!!" Alarmed, she turns around and awkwardly hides the bunch of flowers behind her back. "Nothing, nothing."<br/>
"I thought.. you wanted to keep growing them? They were looking so good!"</p><p>Chae laughs nervously, her cheeks turning red. "Ahah.. we can always plant more, right?" </p><p>"I guess so - is something wrong?"</p><p>"Oh, no, nothing," she shakes her head. "Maybe you should plant something now that my flowers are gone?" </p><p>"I guess so?" Jihyo frowns, worried. Chae wouldn't just pull those up. There has to be a reason. </p><p>But what? </p><p>-</p><p>Chae hasn't shown up on the walk to school today. It's a weird surprise, especially since she's always so much earlier than Jihyo. Maybe today she's just especially early? </p><p>It hurts a little bit, because Chae is the only person Jihyo ever had to walk with. And now she isn't here, and she didn't even warn her that she wouldn't be coming. She's been acting strange lately. Too strange. Maybe it's time to confront her. </p><p>Jihyo enters the schoolyard a few minutes before the bell rings. She's normally earlier since she has Chae to wake her up, but today that obviously isn't the case. However, her friend isn't absent from the campus, as she quickly discovers - she's hurrying towards Jihyo, holding something behind her back so it's not as easily in view. </p><p>"Jihyo! Jihyo!" she calls, waving her free arm frantically. "I have something to tell you.." </p><p>Jihyo takes the last few steps towards her so she doesn't have to run any further. "Huh - what's up?" </p><p>"I, uhm." Chae looks down at her feet and back up at Jihyo, and shakily pulls out something from behind her back. </p><p>It's - the flowers she's been growing? </p><p>"I really like you, Jihyo, and I was wondering.. do you want to maybe go on a date sometime?" She rushes the last few words, holding out the flowers to her with an odd determination on her face. </p><p>Jihyo blinks.</p><p>This isn't what she expected. At all. </p><p>Sure, she's admitted to herself that she likes Chae. Or she thinks she does. </p><p>But hearing it out loud like this makes her question if that's really true.</p><p>She should be happy right now. So, so happy. Her only proper friend who she harbours feelings for just asked her out. </p><p>So why doesn't she feel anything? </p><p>Something must be wrong. She must be weird or a bad person for having all the feelings disappear from her stomach.</p><p>"Chae…" Jihyo finally opens her mouth, unsure of what she's even going to say but knowing she can't just leave her hanging. </p><p>"You're really kind to me, and you're the only friend I've ever had. I like you a lot, but.. I don't feel the same."  </p><p>"Oh-" her face falls, and she lets the flowers drop from her hands. "That's okay. I get it…" </p><p>The flowers hit the ground, and Jihyo feels a small thud of despair in her heart. Did she just lose Chae? </p><p>She feels a desperate need to say something, like if she doesn't this will all be over and she isn't going to get a chance to say goodbye. </p><p>"Thank you for everything."</p><p>Chaeyoung nods. She doesn't say anything, but instead embraces Jihyo tightly, squeezing her hand as if trying to let her know of a secret she's too afraid to speak out loud. </p><p>It saddens Jihyo that she'll probably never get to hear it.<br/>
The hug is broken only by the sound of the bell. Chaeyoung goes rigid and suddenly lurches back, giving an uncertain look in Jihyo's direction before dashing off to whichever class she has next. </p><p>Jihyo feels herself deflate. Maybe this really is over. </p><p>-</p><p>Chae isn't here on the walk today either. A part of Jihyo misses her, and another part is grateful that they don't have to talk today. It seems like they might not even speak to each other again. </p><p>As she enters the schoolyard, there's no sign of Chae, but there is four flowers in different colours lying on the ground near the entrance. They haven't been stepped on or trampled - in fact, they look stronger than they did when Chae was holding them yesterday. </p><p>Jihyo picks them up and places them near her tree - nobody looks there anyways, they'll be safe until the end of the day and then she can take them home.</p><p>It's weird not going to class after some expedition she's gone on with Chae, but it's not so bad being alone again. </p><p>For perhaps her friend is gone, but the memory remains. </p><p>And so do the flowers, hidden in the roots of a tree, lying in wait for someone to pick them up and plant them again. </p><p>-</p><p>day forty<br/>
So if the only love I'll feel is for bumblebees,<br/>
That's fine with me.<br/>
That's fine with me.<br/>
And if I'll only ever dance with pine trees,<br/>
That's fine with me.<br/>
That's fine with me.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>